4 minence by a decision I made about fifteen years ago I t was a decision that brought me attention from all over the worJd. During the last few years I have become the nationally acknow ledged leader of a private or- ganization in which the whole coun- try is in terested. My name appears almost daily in one particular depart.. ment of the newspapers. My last name begins with L." Two or three present guessed who it was. Can you? William Allen White called at the office of Collier's the other day. "I've been thirty-six hours on a train," he told the head office boy, "and I've rather lost track of things. \l/ho's editor now?" "Mr. William Ludlow Chenery," replied the boy. "Tell 1Vlr. Chenery that Mr. Wil- liam Allen White is outside," said White. A moment later the boy re- turned with a note that read: "Mr. Chenery is very busy now and asks Mr. White to wait ten min- utes." To which Mr. White scrib- bled the following: "If Mr. Chenery will post a cash guar- antee that he will still be managing editor at the end of ten min- utes, Mr. White will wait." I've a friend who is a member of the g r 0 u p of scientists which sailed off under William Beebe's lead- ership, on the adven- turous cruise that is expected to contribute all sorts of informa- tion about the Sar... gasso Sea. Aboard the Arcturus the expedi- tion will be thousands of miles away from the rest of mankind for many months. My friend's comment on the social side of what may prove one of the world's most impor- tant voyages of dis- covery might be inter- esti!lg to any 0 n e speculating on what scientists think as they said into the un- known: "My announcement that I was leaving on a scientific expedition ... to the Sargasso Sea for six months split my friends into two groups; those who would have given anything to go and those who would have given anything not to. "'But think,' carolled the one, 'what a marvellous thing to do. Six months in southern seas, away from New York, away from people, nothing to do but lie in the sun and watch the fishes. How thrilling!' "'But think,' groaned the other, 'what a terrible thing to do. Six months in southern seas, away from New York, away from people, nothing to do but lie 'in the sun and watch the fishes. Ho\v appalling!' "But largely they seemed interested in speculating whether we would re- turn permanently devoted each to each, Ot carrying concealed weapons for the first opportunity. Would we come back racked by scurvy and with an im- Inortal hatred for fish? "All of which, in the face of the facts, is a little amusing. Judge for yourself. "The Director, William Beebe: a scientist for whom obstacles are simply the condiments of conquest. The New York Zoological Park is a crystalliza- THE NEW YORKER tion of his own energy. After leaviny college he passed several years at the large extent of marsh and swamp which was the zoological park and when he left he had established an institution which is one of the best in the country, This is equally true of every field in which he has been active. "He was interested in ornithology and the most authoritative work on pheas- ants bears his name. He became in- terested in work in British Guiana and there is now established at Kartabo an experimental research station which continues to function while Dr. Beebe explores Galapagos or the Sargasso Sea. Ordina,rily, so much energy directed into one channel depletes all other reservoirs. Yet, during the war, Will Beebe was found driving an airplane over the front lines. Once, when an expedition had occasion to stop at Panama, Will Beebe walked off with tIle tennis championship. On a dance floor there is no more desirable partner than this same scientist. As a musician he can play almost any instrument that .r. as stri ngs. "One meets at his parties great sci- entists, authors, musicians, people of the stage, all with a common denomi- <)